On Sunday afternoon, the Randolph-Macon baseball team ran past visiting Emory & Henry in double-header action, taking the pair games 8-1 and 10-1.

  After enduring a disappointing 2-7 stretch shortly after the season began, the Yellow Jackets are now starting to hit their stride, wining five of their last six games to improve to 10-9 overall and sit in second place with a 7-3 Old Dominion Conference record.

  With only 12 games left on their regular season schedule, R-MC has gone on an offensive roll, outscoring their opponents 60-19 over their last four games.

  “It started off kind of rough but I think we finally got it figured out,” said sophomore centerfielder Brian Jordan. “We’re on a little bit of a roll right now. I think we’ll be in pretty good shape.”

  For the Yellow Jackets it was a matter of getting both young and old talent in sync with one another.

  “We’re playing good right now,” said senior pitcher Kyle Hicks. “Our freshmen are really coming together now.”

  Even more surprising is the fact that they continue to improve despite losing junior third baseman Greg Mitro and senior short stop Adam Carpenter to injury. To compound matters, Jordan has been unable to pitch in relief. But the losses have actually created a since of unity within the team.

  “Now even with Adam hurt and Mitro hurt and BJ (Jordan) not being able to pitch I think we’re coming together really good,” Hicks said. “When we get all of three them back we ought to right.”

  One of the young players who has become a important piece in the Yellow Jackets’ success is former Hanover Hawk Jeb Weymouth. As a freshman, Weymouth is one of only three players to have started every game and is currently the team’ sixth leading batter. So far Weymouth is batting .366 with a .500 slugging percentage on one home run and 13 RBI. Weymouth has been no slouch playing right field either, with 22 putouts, one assist and no errors for a 1.000 fielding percentage.

  Even Weymouth is surprised with how well he is playing. “I was planning on having a big impact but this is bigger than I thought,” he said. “I’m playing a whole lot better than I thought I would.”

  Weymouth’s successful adjustment to college baseball stems from having fun and being surrounded by so many players that he has grown up with. “Being competitive is definitely a key point but having fun while you’re playing also a key point too,” he said. “I grew up with a lot of these boys so if we’re not playing baseball we’re hunting or fishing or doing something together. So it’s kind of like family.”

  As a senior, Hicks has seen his share of young players adjusting to college baseball. “Jeb didn’t have to get used to it, he started out hot,” Hicks said. “He’s stroking it now so hopefully he can keep it up. A lot of freshmen are stepping up. I like it. You don’t’ really expect it.”

  Against Emory & Henry, it was Weymouth and a cast of former Hanover County players who stepped to the forefront. It was Weymouth’s sacrifice in the bottom of the third that drove in Jordan to give the Jackets a 2-0 lead.

  Then in the bottom of the sixth, the R-MC offense exploded for six runs. A single from Jordan Walton (Lee-Davis) along with walks of Weymouth and Jay Lichter loaded the bags. When Cory Jackson (Patrick Henry) was hit by a pitch it drove in Walton. Weymouth scored on a pass ball and a James Bierlein double drove in Lichter and Jackson for a 6-0 lead.

  Jordan’s RBI single drove in Bierlein and a Kevin Davis (Hanover) double down the right field line made the score 8-0.

  In the second game, R-MC scored three runs on three hits in the first inning and continued to roll. In the game Davis went 4-for-5 with an RBI. Former Hanover pitcher, freshman Justin Thorn closed out the game with two and a third scoreless innings, striking out two.

  Despite enduring the losing streak, Weymouth said the team knew its potential. “I think, we had that little loss/slump thing we had but I think the whole team knew what we were capable of and nobody got down,” he said.

  Likewise, Jordan believes the key to R-MC’s sudden success has simply been a matter of gaining confidence. “We have the talent to beat anyone in our league or anyone in any other league,” he said. “We’ve got to know that we can beat anybody on any given day.”

  Something that bodes well for the rest of the season. “I think we’re doing very well,” Weymouth said. “The pitchers are throwing strikes and the hitters are hitting it. Everything’s starting to fall into place.”

E & H….............. 000 000 1 -  1 5 2
R-MC….............. 002 006 X -  8 8 0
E - Pierce; Moyer. DP - E&H 1. LOB - E&H 8; R-MC 4. 2B - Rigney; Jordan;
Davis; Weymouth; Bierlein. HBP - Pierce; Unger; Jackson. SF - Davis;
Weymouth. SB - Jordan; Lichter.
E & H ............ 000 000 100 -  1 9 2
R-MC…....... 320 301 10X - 10 15 0
E - Pierce; Surber. DP - R-MC 1. LOB - E&H 11; R-MC 11. 2B - Lowry; Jordan; Weymouth; Lichter 3; Hughes. SH - Hughes. SF - Hannum. SB - Lowry; Lichter 2; Bierlein. CS - Davis.